Today's Opinions

What’s the difference in America’s health care system and organized crime? Simple. One is legal, the other is not.
I am amazed that people just burden themselves nearly to death to pay outrageous health insurance premiums.
What they should do is drop the health insurance, and write their lawmakers demanding that they put a stop to the runaway cost of health care.
Health insurance companies are just another big fat greedy vulture in the system. And like the system, all they want is your money.

In the wake of a deadly series of tornadoes that devastated the lives of thousands in Oklahoma, organizations in our community and all over are banding together to deliver relief in as many ways as they can.
The Galax Fire Department, Cornerstone Church and God’s Pit Crew have joined to collect everything from food and basic items to money and prayers for the tornado victims.
Woods River Chapter of the American Red Cross is also requesting monetary donations to help put together the relief kits.

I write to express my disapproval of your paper’s ongoing publication of the names and mugshots of individuals arrested in the area.
Your snapshot synopses of these people’s lives, condensed from one brief moment of misfortune, bad timing or stupidity in public serves no other purpose than to play into the smarmy politics of fear and sensationalism.
A trend which, sadly, is rapidly replacing objective intelligent reporting of issues of some use to the public in their everyday affairs.

I am experiencing a growing concern about genetically modified foods in the food chain.
I have come to the conclusion that genetically modified foods are dangerous: they have been linked to immune disorders, endocrine disruption, sterility, birth defects, accelerated aging, allergies, and organ damage to name a few of the 65 different health risks involved.

Taking two seconds to strap on a seat belt indisputably saves lives.
Yet researchers from a Virginia university found that more than a fifth of drivers still refuse to make that life-saving click.
Fortunately, the research can help guide law enforcement and education efforts to persuade more people to buckle up.
Researchers at Old Dominion University used a low-tech method to capture data. They stood at the side of roads throughout the state, clad in orange vests, clipboards in hand to eyeball passing drivers, making note of who was wearing a seat belt.

An editorial in The Gazette about the online public school Virginia Virtual Academy makes a number of wrong claims. It is children, not online learning provider K12 Inc., who benefitted most from the academy.
K12 Inc. was disappointed in Carroll County’s decision to no longer offer the academy, but it was not because of K12. In fact, K12’s academy program boasts high parent satisfaction and a long waiting list.

HoustonFest Organizers would like to extend sincere gratitude for the splendid work that took place leading up to and during the presentation of HoustonFest 2013.
We will continue to talk about the wonderful weekend for years to come. This celebration of song and service was an outstanding success in so many ways, primarily due to the incredible organization, creativity and enthusiasm of hundreds of caring citizens.

When Virginia’s first statewide virtual school opened in 2009, it looked to be a good deal for the private operator and its host, Carroll County, but a bad deal for state taxpayers.
Now the Carroll County School Board has concluded it’s getting a raw deal, too, and voted to end its contract with the for-profit K12 Inc.